“I would be surprised” - EFL pundit drops honest Sunderland AFC prediction | OneFootball

Parkin doesn't believe the Black Cats are favourites for a top-two finish at this stage.

Sam Parkin has admitted that he would be surprised if Sunderland won automatic promotion at the end of the season.

Speaking on the Championship Check-In Podcast, however, Parkin refused to rule out a top-two finish for the Black Cats, with the club able to strengthen again when the January transfer window opens.

There was a fair bit of change at the Stadium of Light during the summer window, with former key players Jack Clarke and Pierre Ekwah both leaving.

Quite a few players arrived too. Simon Moore came in as a backup option in the goalkeeping department for Anthony Patterson - and has featured for the club in the absence of the latter.

Blondy Nna Noukeu also came in to strengthen the goalkeeping area - and Chris Mepham arrived on loan as a centre-back option.

So far, the Wales international has been a real asset for the Wearside outfit. In midfield, Alan Browne, Salis Abdul Samed and Milan Aleksic all arrived, along with wide player Ian Poveda.

But the one area that desperately needed to be looked at is the striker department.

Thankfully for Regis Le Bris, who only joined in the summer, Ahmed Abdullahi and Wilson Isidor both joined, and Aaron Connolly arrived in September to add an extra option to this area.

Isidor has been a particularly good signing for the Black Cats - and he has played a big part in their excellent start to the season.

It's fair to say that the Championship side have stuttered in recent times, drawing their last five league games, but they are still firmly in the promotion mix at this stage.

Sam Parkin drops Sunderland AFC promotion verdict

Parkin, who has seen the Black Cats shine during the early stages of the season, believes a successful winter window could allow them to secure a top-two finish. But he would still be surprised to see them go on and win automatic promotion.

He told the Championship Check-In Podcast (via Inside Futbol): "My gut would say that it would be difficult to see Sunderland being title challengers. I’ll go that strong.

"Automatic promotion, I would be surprised, but I am not going to totally rule it out because there have been some circumstances that have gone against them and if they can bolster in the window, I don’t know if that is a reality or if that is just a cliché that people wheel out as we are getting towards the window opening, I am not so sure.

"But I think that the start to the season was phenomenal, but it was not going to be sustained across the season; otherwise, we’d have been talking about one of the stories to go up there with some of the most incredible feats we have seen in the second."

Sunderland face major competition in top-two quest

The Black Cats will be hoping to secure a top-six finish, first and foremost.

But if they can win automatic promotion, Le Bris' side can avoid the lottery of the play-offs and that would be ideal for them.

They have some key players who can step up to the plate, including Jobe Bellingham and Chris Rigg (pictured above), but they may find it difficult against some of the most talented teams in the division.

Leeds United are a formidable opponent, with the talent they have in their squad, and the likes of Sheffield United and Burnley are also likely to be strong competitors for a top-two spot, with both keen to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

It will be interesting to see whether the Black Cats can turn draws into wins to re-establish themselves as top-two competitors. That has to be their top priority.